Meadowlands: Sophomore pacers duel in Tompkins-Geers
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Three-year-old pacers of both sexes were in stakes action on Saturday night at the Meadowlands in divisions of the Tompkins-Geers. The colts and geldings raced in two flights while the fillies had a single event.
Smooth Dream (Jordan Stratton) worked his way around Manolete (Scott Zeron) past the 27 3/5 quarter in the first $31,825 race for the boys and was unchallenged from there through a 56 1/5 half and a 1:24 2/5 three-quarters. Manolete tipped out in the stretch and rallied to the wire, but Smooth Dream was able to fend him off by a nose on the wire in a 1:50 1/5 mile. Best Chip (Mark Herschberger) collected third.
Now nine-for-nine in 2025, Smooth Dream was bred by Winbak Farm and is trained by Noel Daley. The Cattlewash gelding, who is owned by Bay Pond Racing Stable, Ctc Stable and Kdp Stable LLC., has an overall summary of 9-1-0 from 12 appearances, has banked $254,012 and paid $2.20 to win.
In the other $31,325 dash for colts and geldings, Twin Fury (Todd McCarthy) cut the quarter in 27 seconds but was shuffled back to third by the time they got to the 55 3/5 half as both Sugar Man (Tim Tetrick) and Captain Optimistic (Dexter Dunn) went around him. Captain Optimistic, the 2-5 choice, continued to show the way to three-quarters in 1:23 and sprinted a 26 second last quarter to defeat Sugar Man by two lengths in 1:49. World Of Wishes (Andy McCarthy) got up for third.
Nancy Takter trains Captain Optimistic, a Captaintreacherous colt bred by Fair Winds Farm, for owners 3 Brothers Stables, Marvin Katz and Caviart Farms. He has nine wins, three seconds and two thirds from 17 outings, has earned $587,190 and returned $2.80 to win.
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Fillies went for a purse of $52,500 and Miki And Minnie (Dunn) watched from fifth as first Beach Rules (Zeron) and then Worklifebalance (Louis Roy) put up a 27 second quarter and a 55 1/5 half. Miki And Minnie began a first-over trek as Worklifebalance headed towards three-quarters in 1:23 2/5 and then went by her in the lane. Miki And Minnie was in full control to the wire as she prevailed by a length and three-quarters in 1:49 4/5 with Gigglingonthebeach (James MacDonald) second and Rodeo Drive Deo (David Miller) third.
A daughter of Always B Miki, Miki And Minnie is trained by Chris Ryder Ryder for owners/breeders Craig Henderson, Robert Mondillo and Lawrence Minowitz. She won for the 11th time from 17 trips behind the gate, has pocketed $1,127,588 and paid $2.20 to win.